CANTEEN and kitchen works at the Frankston Dolphins Football Club’s function centre will be partly funded by ratepayers after Frankston Council decided to contribute $30,000 towards improvements at the centre.
Councillors met behind closed doors after the 19 February public council meeting and decided to approve the funding towards upgrades to an upstairs kitchen and downstairs canteen.
The mayor Cr Colin Hampton advised council will also contribute about $90,000 of ratepayers’ money to the Dolphins as a sponsor ahead of the club’s re-entry to the VFL in April.
“This will not only create a better experience for users of the function centre and at football matches, but will also contribute towards the club’s ongoing success,” the mayor said in a statement.
The decision was made in private after the public part of the council meeting since it was deemed to be commercial-in-confidence by council.
Dolphins general manager Gary Buckenara thanked council for its support.
“We’re having some renovations done and we’re funding most of it,” he said.
“A bar downstairs needs to be upgraded to comply with state serving of alcohol regulations.
“A lot of it is behind the bar kind of stuff including fridges and freezers and some fridge and freezer seals needing some attention.”
The football club went into voluntary administration in 2016 with debts of more than $1 million.
The team had its licence stripped by the Victorian Football League but was readmitted last year.
Cr Hampton said council will oversee the latest upgrade works at the function centre built in 2015 at a cost of $3.4 million, including $1.5 million pitched in by ratepayers.
“We hope to have these works completed in time for the opening round match on 7 April, where we will welcome the new team and Premier of Victoria to kick off the activities.”
